FIFA Allows Spanish in All World Cup Press Conferences After Reversal

FIFA has reversed its stance, now allowing Spanish to be used in all press conferences throughout the 2026 World Cup, irrespective of whether Spanish-speaking national teams are involved. This change comes after initial restrictions sparked significant backlash from media and fans across Spain and Latin America.

The controversy began during press conferences leading up to matches involving teams like Brazil and Morocco, and the Netherlands and Japan. FIFA officials initially disallowed players from answering questions posed in Spanish, creating frustration. This policy was particularly contentious given that Spanish is the second most spoken language in the United States, a co-host nation, with 57 million speakers, and is the official language of Mexico, another host country.

While FIFA has not issued a formal announcement, the decision to permit Spanish was made after observing the widespread discontent. The organization has reportedly informed FIFA officials at each press conference to allow journalists to ask questions in Spanish and for players to respond in the same language. This marks a significant shift from the tournament's initial protocol.

Previously, FIFA's standard procedure allowed questions only in English and the languages of the participating teams, with associations able to request additional languages. For matches in the US and Canada, Spanish was only permitted if teams like Mexico, Argentina, or Colombia were present, unless other federations made special requests. The shift aims to accommodate the large Spanish-speaking audience and media presence at the tournament.